Last week ushered in yet another area to Crane Mountain’s cadre of crags. In a few days’ intensive effort, four new lines have been sent, and two more are nearing readiness for their chance to join the burgeoning list of climbing routes on the mountain.

Big weekend here on Crane Mountain. The forecast wasn’t favorable, but we persisted and were rewarded for that obstinance with decent climbing over several days. That outcome came in spite of the added restriction of limited time for every day save one. Once more the axiom is proved: without the sense and finances to move out West, Northeastern climbers have to sieze every available chance for climbing. Doing so will no doubt yield some useless outings, but not doing so allows more opportunities to slip through our fingers.

Got home from church, changed, rushed out the door. Things didn’t look hopeful: the previously-sunlit flanks of Crane Mountain were already overshadowed by dark, threatening clouds as I headed up to the shortcut. But there on the side of the Sky High, Tom’s car and another sat quietly. I couldn’t let Tom and whoever down, so I figured worse comes to worse, at least I get some exercise.

Rainy day like this, I’ve spent hours calculating, checking the numbers, reading and rereading the latest edits. There’s a dozen more to go.

Addendum 5th June 2012: Another thorough review, we’re up to 190. Ten to go. Several routes have yet to be reported to the Authorities, but they’ve been led/soloed already. Ten more to find, clean, prep, and send. There are easily 20 projects scattered along the mountain that are in some state of progress – and of course, 2 or 3 hundred more that anyone is welcome to discover, prep, and send (hint, hint!).

I’ve been wanting to post this for a long time. Having done my first “Crane Mountain Shuttle” a few days before Memorial Day, I thought this might help folks find their way on the mountain. The image links to a big, detailed one. I’ll be improving it every once in awhile.